Hurricane Matthew

CBM and partners respond to Hurricane Matthew

Hurricane Matthew made landfall in southwestern Haiti early on Tuesday 4 October, centred some 250 miles west of the capital Port-au-Prince, causing major floods and forcing thousands to flee. Reports say up to 90% of some areas were destroyed.

CBM and partners CBM staff and partners in potentially affected areas were sent warning and safety and security info specific to tropical hurricanes - what to do and not to do before, during and after such events.

We have conducted a thorough Rapid Needs Assessments, and are now implementing a response that will ensure long-term recovery, including persons with disabilities. More details to come.

Disability and emergencies

The WHO estimates 15% of the global population live with disability. In any emergency or disaster, people who live with some form of disability are disproportionally affected. Reasons for this include inaccessibility of warning messages and emergency shelters, loss and damage of assistive devices, disruption of support networks and increased difficulty in accessing basic humanitarian operations (food, water, shelter, sanitation and health care services).

At the same time, emergencies can increase the number of people who experience disability, both short and long-term, due to injuries sustained and lack of effective medical services.